Conferences, Discussion Groups, Rain, and Listening

I can't wait to see everyone next Thursday and Friday for conferences. The students are preparing a series of academic artifacts to share with you that they feel proud of. The kids will step out of the room toward the end of the conference to give us some time to connect privately. Make sure they bring a book or something fun for that time. 

The pictures below are in no understandable order, but I hope you can see the deep thinking, community, and engagement in our room. 

Students are sharing their writing in response to the latest chapter of Island of the Blue Dolphins. Karana's experience of being confronted by tribal superstition about women making weapons was an engaging topic for the class. 

These students are building their first 9-lines for the 3s house. "I put 3 chips in the cup one time and I have 3 chips altogether." "I put 3 chips in the cup two times and I have 6 chips altogether." After we build a house we can start noticing patterns, manipulating numbers, and creating visual images of the math facts for fluency. 

Students are presenting their work on an archaeological survey of a site on the playground. They found three artifacts and explained the context in which they make sense within the site. 

We read an article about the drought in Time for Kids and did a cool, rain-themed drawing project to try and conjure up a little wetness. We also invited Peggy's class to join us for a Mojave Native American-inspired rain dance.

 We've been dedicating ourselves to building our team and connecting with one another in genuine, compassionate ways. It's so important to create a space for kids to try different communication styles and practice listening, and being listened to, with empathy. 

 These essayists are reading an essay about how archaeologists find sites to excavate. They identified the main idea and supporting thoughts/ideas/examples and made observations about paragraphing. 

This is the end of our final small-group discussion about Island of the Blue Dolphins. Students are recording their big ideas about the book's theme and why Scott O'Dell decided to tell this story. 

In those final discussion groups, we worked with these questions and more:

•   After finishing Island of the Blue Dolphins what parts really stuck with you? What are your biggest thoughts about the book?

•   Why do you think Island of the Blue Dolphins has won so many awards? What makes it special? Did you like it as much as other people seem to like it?

•   What is the story really about?

•   Do you like historical fiction? When you read historical fiction, do you want to know which part is fact and which part is fiction? Why?

•   Overall, did the novel seem too sad to you? Do you think the tragedies are important to the story? Some people think it's too sad. What do you think?

•   Is Karana like other twelve-year-olds you know? Do you like or admire her? What parts of who she is do you see in yourself?